Bank Files For Foreclosure On Enfield Town Manager's House

Town Manager Matthew Coppler is facing foreclosure on the four-bedroom house he purchased after he moved to Enfield in 2006, according to court records.

New England Bank filed for foreclosure in Superior Court in Hartford on Jan. 12. In the filing, New England Bank claimed that Coppler "neglected and refused to make payment" on the $264,150 mortgage he took out in September 2006. In addition to the full value of the mortgage, New England Bank is also seeking interest from Sept. 1, 2011, late charges, tax escrow and attorney's fees.

Town records show that Coppler purchased the house at 254 Post Office Road for $293,500 in 2006. Built in 1968, the colonial style, wood-shingle home and surrounding land are appraised at $211,800.

Mayor Scott Kaupin said that Coppler told him about the foreclosure earlier this week, after a reporter from the Journal Inquirer contacted Coppler about the lawsuit.

Kaupin said that despite the fact that Coppler is responsible for crafting the town's budget, he and other council members were confident that the foreclosure was a personal problem that would not interfere with his professional performance.

"We sat down and had a lengthy conversation about what led up to the foreclosure," said Kaupin, who called the financial problems "very personal in nature" and declined to discuss them further.

In an email Friday evening Coppler said, "The issue will be resolved in a short matter of time and will not result in a foreclosure."

Kaupin said that he and the other council members were "confident that Matt can continue to do the job and continue to do the job well."

As town manager, Coppler is required to live in Enfield. His 2011-12 salary was $126,778, according to town records.

Before being hired as the Enfield town manager in 2006, Coppler was a city manager in Batavia, N.Y., a city of about 16,000 in the northwestern corner of the state.